Life Lost, Love Discovered
by Kayle5
Summary: Slightly AU, SS. Love really can stand the test of life, death, and betrayal. Sakura and Syaoran slowly find this to be true... while finding each other. RR! Important AN up!
1. Reverie

**A/N: Whoa!**** Look who's back! ^_^ Yeah, it's me, and unlike my past stories, I'm tackling Card Captor Sakura! So bring it on! ^_~  It's AU, revolves totally around Sakura and Syaoran, and happens to be a reincarnation fic. (And you thought they only existed in the Fushigi Yuugi section!) The prologue is relatively short, and the upcoming chapters are sure to be longer. Anyway, enjoy!**

Life Lost, Love Discovered 

Prologue

"Kirika."

She turned at the sound of her name, her face tear-stained and ragged. "Why are you here?" She whispered, she snapped at the man who stood, aglow with the interior light as he lamented in the doorframe. 

"Kirika, I'm so sorry . . ."

"No, you're not!" Kirika let out a sob, her light chestnut locks whipping wildly in the thrashing wind. "No . . . no!" 

"I didn't mean it that way. That other woman was merely my cousin! The embrace we exchanged was nothing short of friendly. I would never dream of double-crossing you . . . onegai, you must believe me," his voice was husky with emotion as he gently put his hand upon her frail shoulder.

Kirika stared at him in shock. "Your cousin?"

"Hai."

Kirika's hazel-colored hues widened. The tension between them was quickly settling, and the atmosphere on the small balcony was becoming, how do you say . . . romantic. Finally, all threads of displeasure snapped and Kirika began to weep. She threw her tiny body against his, wrapping her pale arms around his waist.

"Isao, I'm sorry . . . I'm so sorry! It was a snap judgment . . . I never thought I was the jealous type! You would never cheat on me. I know that."

I know, you would never . . .

Never, ever . . .

That's when Sakura's eyes flew open.

***

The day was slowly blooming, and Sakura, surprisingly enough, was getting to see it in its full glory. Her alarm was no where near going off, and the sun hardly had even peeked over the hills.

The sixteen year old slowly slid off her bed and to the floor. Her mind was a mess of mixed emotions and jumbled thoughts . . . that dream she had had was so vivid!

Sakura yawned. Isao? Kirika? Her imagination was excellent . . . a little bit to much so, in her opinion. She felt a gentle tap, and tilted her head enough to see Kero, hovering face-to-face with her.  She must have had a weird expression plastered on, because her guardian sure was looking at her weird.

"Sakura-chan? Something up?" He asked, furrowing his small brow.

"N-nah. Just had a funny dream."

"A dream!? Sakura-chan, you know--"

"Yeah, yeah. I should relay it to you, because it could have a deeper meaning or could tell of events to come."

"How'd you know?" Kero reeled in honest shock.

"You've only told me that countless times!" Sakura giggled. "Besides, it was nothing."

"That dream woke you up, didn't it? It certainly wasn't nothing if it aroused YOU," Kero emphasized, shaking his head. "You redefine the cliché 'sleeping like a rock.' "

Sakura glared. "No pudding for you."

"NANI!?"

"Ah, joking." Sakura winked. "I gotta go get a shower." She strutted from the room, trying to seem as nonchalant and carefree as could be. As soon as she shut the door, however, she hunched over. Kero had turned on the video games inside, she could tell from the muffled shouting and explosions. She tuned it out as she desperately tried to push that dream from her mind.

Why did it bother her so? And why did it feel as though her heart was breaking?

**A/N: There ya have it, the beginning to this . . . ano, epic tale of life, love, and reincarnation! ::coughs:: R+R, ONEGAI!**


	2. Contact

**A/N: Nothing to say except, here's Chapter One!**

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter One

It was fifth period, and Sakura's head was bobbing dangerously low to her desk. The hard wood seemed more and more appealing as time went on, comfortable, as if she could just put her head down and doze off . . .

"Kinomoto-san!" 

"Eek!" Sakura jumped to her feet, suddenly wide awake. Her teacher tapped his foot disapprovingly. 

"Please tell me you weren't going to fall asleep AGAIN," he sighed.

"Iie . . . of course not, Fujiyama-sensei," Sakura replied bashfully. A ripple stirred throughout the room, and she heard a low, good-natured snort from behind her.

She sat back down and turned to glare. It was him, Syaoran Li. When he had moved to Japan one year prior from Hong Kong, the two had hit it off right away. They became quick friends, however, Syaoran loved to torture Sakura whenever the chance surfaced. 

"It's not funny," Sakura hissed at him, but she couldn't help but smile.

"I disagree. I found it hilarious," he grinned. 

Sakura whirled around, blushing furiously. Why did he get to her like that whenever he smiled that boyish smile!? She didn't get it! Every time, without fail, her heart started to beat madly against her ribcage and she flushed red enough to make a tomato envious. 

The teacher went back to his lecture, yet this time, Sakura felt anything but sleepy. She was energized, ready to move, ready to do SOMETHING, ready to . . .

_'Get a grip, Kinomoto,'_ she chided herself. _'You're just friends. And you're going to remain that way.'_

But that smile! It was so soothing, so . . . familiar, somehow. She shook her head, trying to push away the cobwebs that were accumulating, but to no avail.

The next two periods ahead of her were going to be long.

***

Somehow, Sakura made it through the day. She had a lengthy walk home, and she didn't feel up to the task. So she slid down on of the cherry blossom tree's thick trunks, the one that overlooked the schoolyard. _'Ugh. I'm wiped.' _

She closed her eyes briefly and reopened them, only to be staring into two amber orbs.

"HOE?! GET IT AWAY!" She swatted at the thing in front of her, which let out a muffled cry in confusion as it fell back.

Sakura blinked. "Syaoran-kun?"

He rubbed his head gingerly, wincing where she had punched him accidently. "In the flesh."

"Oh, gomen nasai!" 

"Don't mention it. What's got you so worked up today?" He asked, his eyes transfixed with hers. Sakura shifted. He did a double take, and laughed uncomfortably. "Sorry. I guess you're not the only one who's got something on their mind."

"What's up?" Sakura patted the ground next to her. "Let's talk."

He took her up on the invitation, and for awhile they sat there, never really getting to the topic that was on both of their minds. So they chatted about other things, totally losing track of time. Sakura caught sight of her watch, and at the same time, realized the sun had begun to set.

"Aw, man!" She stood, reluctantly. "Look at the time . . . onii-chan must be worried. I can't believe--"

"Can I take you home?" Syaoran suddenly blurted, startling Sakura. "I mean, if you don't mind . . ." He cast his gaze downward.

If her heart was merely beating before, it was doing the cardiac-equivalent of the Electric Slide now. "Of course I don't!" She stuttered, equally flustered. 

"Great!" 

Sakura had never seen him so bubbly. It was kind of . . . well, weird.

***

The street was nearly deserted as the wind whipped by. Add the setting sun, and it seemed like the prime location for a country Western movie. Sakura was half expecting tumbleweed to blow through. They were coming up on her house, but Sakura didn't want to go. She and Syaoran had been so deep into conversation, they hardly noticed their destination was near.

"Here we are," Sakura said, coming to an abrupt halt. 

Syaoran simply nodded.

"Well, will I see you tomorrow?" 

"Of course." 

"All right."

A light breeze blew, rustling Syaoran's chestnut hair a bit. His amber hues glanced upward, gazing towards the heavens above. Sakura was struck with an emotion she had never felt before, an indescribable one. His presence was incredible, angelic, even, as he stood there, looking as though he could be the centerpiece in a watercolor painting. 

So she did the only thing that came to mind. 

"Syaoran?" She whispered. _'Am I really going to go through with this?'_

"Hai?" He stopped gazing at the skies above to come face-to-face with her. 

She braced herself for rejection and for the pain to come . . . _'I'm crazy!'_ That was the only thing going through her mind as she leaned forward, and kissed his soft cheek gently.

She felt him jerk in surprise. Sakura stepped back, putting her middle and index fingers to his lips. "G-Gomen nasai . . . I don't know what I was thinking . . . komban-wa, Syaoran-kun . . ." Before she could flee up the steps and into the safe refuge of her home, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.

_'Such a familiar touch . . .'_

"What WAS that?" He inquired, his face unreadable.

"I said I was sorry!"

He was quiet for a bit, but his hand never faltered. "There's no reason to be sorry. I enjoyed it." 

Sakura couldn't help but gasp as Syaoran's face came closer to hers.

Closer . . .

Closer . . .

Contact.

**A/N: Sorry for the weird ending, and although this chapter may seem like the opening to an all-out fluffy fic, there is a reason for that dream, and a reason for Syaoran and Sakura's relationship! ^_^ Oh, and thanks to that one person who was kind enough to review! Please, R+R!**


	3. Pulsing

**A/N: Yay!**** Thanks so much to those who were kind enough to review! ^_^ Without further ado, here's Chapter Two!**

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Two

As Syaoran went home to his apartment that same day, his mind was awhirl. He'd just kissed a _girl, Sakura none-the-less! This behavior sure wasn't like him . . . did he have a fever? His hand flew to his forehead, but there were no traces of any kind of sickness. _

_'I'm losing it.' _

However, whatever state of shock he was in had didn't change the blatant fact that he had _enjoyed the kiss. Her lips had tasted so sweet on his! It was like a dream . . ._

_'A dream . . .'_

Syaoran fumbled for his keys, and put the appropriate one in the hole. The door opened and he stepped into his home. He slipped off his shoes. What had happened earlier had given him some sort of adrenaline rush, but it was gone now, and he was wiped.

Beyond wiped, actually. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this tired.

Ignoring the fact that he should get a shower and change into night clothes, he flopped onto his unmade bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep, which was anything but dreamless . . .

***

Sakura happily sang as hot water splashed against her nude body. She hadn't felt this elated in decades! Syaoran had kissed her! Her heart was doing flip-flops now, such a contrary response to her emotions than the painful beating it had been doing before. 

After awhile, as she stood under the stream coming from her shower nozzle, the sheer happiness wore away, and her thoughts moved to other things.

_'Like that freaky dream I had.' _Why was it bothering her so? Sakura just couldn't push that man's face from her mind . . . Isao, was it?

Maybe she should tell Kero . . .

***

"Sir, Lady Kirika wishes to see you." The guard, clad in shining silver armor, bowed before the tall, chestnut-haired girl. "She's waiting. Shall we let her in, sire?"

"Of course!" Isao shook his head. Everyone knew Kirika, but that still didn't stop some guards from being as thick as the metal they wore. 

The two, ceiling high doors opened with a flourish and in stepped a small woman, her tiny body seeming even tinier within the huge frame. "Konnichi'wa, Isao-chan!"

She ran forward, and hugged him tightly. He returned her delighted embrace, as he gestured for the guards standing by to leave. They bustled off, and Isao turned his attention back to Kirika.

"Why so exuberant?" He asked, holding her at arms length.

"I don't know. I was just eager to see you," she flashed him a winning smile.

He returned the expression awkwardly. Don't get him wrong, he loved this woman with all his heart and was elated to be with her again, even if it was only for a short time, but he just wasn't as used to displaying his feelings as openly as she. He felt a sudden tug on his arm and realized it was Kirika.

"Sit." She ordered. He obeyed obediently. She kneeled down, and grinned again. "Such a high-and-mighty man like you shouldn't be so easy to make listen!" She laughed. The sound was music to Isao's ears.

Kirika wasn't in the best of health. She had a disease that no physician nor noble knew of, one that caused her to cough up blood frequently, and some believed it was fatal. Though Isao had never witnessed one of her coughing fits before, he had heard that it happened often and was a gory sight to see. _'They never seem to start around me,' he thought. But he was ready to take care of her if the chance arose. Like hell would he let some blasted illness take Kirika away from him!_

That's why he was so pleased to see her in such high spirits. He was always careful not to upset her, in some petty fear that her health might take a drastic turn for the worse. That's why he was absolutely petrified when Kirika had seen him hugging his cousin, who he hadn't seen for awhile. 

Isao opened his mouth to say something, when the doors slammed open suddenly, startling the both of them. A knight hurried onto the thick red carpeting, and bowed before the staircase which Kirika and Isao perched upon.

"Sir Isao, please forgive the interruption. The scribes ask for you immediately," the knight said, his face to the floor. "It's something to do with domestic affairs, and they seemed urgent."

_'Dammit!' _Isao had to refrain from cursing aloud. "I'll be there," he replied reluctantly.

Kirika looked unhappy, but didn't utter a word. She understood his duty, and that pleasure had to be put after work . . . however, that didn't mean she couldn't dislike it.

Isao started down the staircase, then stopped. He whirled back to Kirika, gently caressed her pale cheek, whispering, "Ja ne. Aishiteru."

"Aishiteru, Isao-chan."

_Aishiteru.___

***

Syaoran rolled in his tousled sheets. The only sign that he was dreaming was the small upturn of his lips. He snorted a bit, and the smile vanished. He shifted again, and his mouth parted, and he began to breathe deeply. The dream was over.

***

Sakura shot bolt upright, breathing hard. You'd think she'd had a nightmare from the odd expression on her face, but she was more confused than scared.

Once the grogginess wore off, Sakura tried to think straight. _'That dream had the same exact people from before. Isao? Kirika? Yeah, that's it.'_

Her shining digital clock read 1:02 A.M., yet she no longer felt any desire to sleep. She leapt from her bed, her feet hitting the carpet with a dull thud. She had to find Kero. Screw the fact that she would be waking him up in the unearthly hours of the morning—she needed some facts, and some closure, too.

**A/N: Things should be picking up in the next chapter. Oh, and to those who were wondering about the PG-13 rating, yes, it IS necessary because the profanity level will be pushed up a notch as things get going. Thanks to all those who already reviewed, and as always, please R+R!**


	4. Discovery

**A/N: Gomen for the long wait! I was unable to access my computer. Here's Chapter Three!**

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Three

Sakura made it to her dresser in two long strides, and pulled open her top bureau drawer. "Kero-chan! Wake up!"

The tiny guardian sat bolt upright with a start, his beady eyes wide. "Nani!?" His voice was still sleep-ridden.

"Gomen," she giggled sheepishly. Maybe she _had over-reacted, but she was desperate, here! "Kero-chan, I had another dream."_

"Another one?"  He flew over to her light-switch, and flipped it into the _on position. Both were blinded as the room was suddenly illuminated. Shading his vision, he asked, "I __knew there was something up. Spill."_

Sakura relayed her puzzling dream that, in a way, didn't seem to be hers at all. "It's like . . ." She mused, " . . . I'm watching the entire thing from another person's perspective, almost like I _am Kirika, or Isao, but the actions I'm moving through seem premeditated, because it's not __me making _me _move!" She sighed. "Does that make any sense?"_

Kero did nothing but nod his head thoughtfully. Sakura sweatdropped. "It did?"

"Okay, Sakura, since neither of us are going to get back to sleep, get me a bowl of pudding, my fedora, and leave the rest up to me."

" . . . You have a fedora?"

" . . . I like to imagine."

"I'll get one for you one of these days." She chuckled a bit, and started down the steps, to the kitchen. She quickly grabbed a chocolate pudding cup out of the refrigerator, knowing that Kero was much fonder of that flavor than vanilla, and raced back up the stairs, eager to see what Kero had up his non-existent sleeve.

Upon opening her bedroom door, she saw Kero intently studying a hard-backed book. She'd never seen it before, but it looked ancient, and if it was possible . . . a bit melancholy, possibly? The tattered edges seemed to reveal untold secrets that piqued Sakura's interest to no end.

"Ah, here we go," Kero pumped a small fist in triumph. "That woman you mentioned, Kirika? There's some background information here on her . . . but I don't see any on Isao. That's weird, you said he was royalty, didn't you?"

Sakura glanced over Kero's shoulder, and at the writing. It was in some form of writing that she had never been exposed to before. "Ano . . . Kero-chan? Could you read it to me?"

He read the paragraph aloud.

_" 'Kirika Yamamoto was a beloved healer to all those who resided in the same kingdom. Her name was known far and wide, and there wasn't a single soul who didn't love her. However, her past was shrouded in mystery, and it was unknown as to if the kingdom was actually where she was born and raised. A rumor arose as to if she was in betrothed to a _

_member of the royal family, but whenever asked, she quickly dismissed the idea. Unfortunately, she contracted an unknown disease, and died after a decade of struggling, at the age of twenty-five.' "_

Kero and Sakura both were silent.

_'Ohmigod,' _Sakura thought, feeling sick. _'She was only twenty-five . . . how Isao must have suffered . . .!'_

***

Later that day, Sakura trudged into school. Even after a long, hot shower and a steaming breakfast, she was still exhausted. She was tempted to fake being sick and stay home, but she had a test in Algebra today and she couldn't afford to miss it.

So, here she was, an _hour _early, sitting at her desk, head bobbing. Already, to her utter disbelief (and horror), people were starting to mill in. Did they do this every _day?!_

"Dear Kami-sama! Am I _seeing _things?!" Sakura heard someone familiar screech.

"Iie, not unless I'm seeing it, too . . ."

Sakura groaned. "You're not hallucinating."

Tomoyo and Eriol slowly, cautiously, approached her desk. Both had haunted looks upon their faces. Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at their flabbergasted reactions.

"Sakura! You're . . . you're . . . EARLY!" Her raven-haired friend gasped, putting her hands to her cheeks in mock horror.

"Aw, cut it out," Sakura protested feebly.

Eriol shook his head. "Talk about pleasant surprises."

The classroom door slid open, and in stepped Syaoran. His eyes were half closed, and he tripped over stool on his way to his seat. 

_'HOE! What do I say to him!?' _Sakura's heart started to pulse. _'What if he's going to tell me that he absolutely hates the way I kiss . . . but I've never kissed a guy before!'_

Syaoran was getting dangerously close. Ten steps away . . . eight, five . . .

And there he was, right beside her. Then, he looked over (by then, she had begun to hyperventilate.) "Konnichi'wa, Sakura-chan," he murmured groggily. 

And then, of all things, he smiled.

_Smiled._

Sakura shook her head rapidly to clear it. "An-Ano . . . konnich—konnichi'wa, Sy-Syaoran-kun," she giggled stupidly. She was stuttering like mad. Syaoran gave her a befuddled **(A/N: I love that word!) **expression, and took his seat behind her. 

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura turned around. "About last night . . . gomen . . ."

"What're you apologizing for?" He asked abruptly.

_'What?!' _"You _know!" Sakura cried in exasperation._

"You mean the . . ."

"YES!" _'Men are so dense sometimes!' _Sakura had to roll her eyes a bit at his ignorance. 

"I told you not to apologize."

Sakura just shook her head, and whirled back around. Class would begin any minute now. Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged glances and returned to their respective desks.

The sensei bustled in, and everyone settled down as homeroom commenced. Yet, even while roll was being call, Sakura felt something nip at the corner of her mind. Isao? Amber eyes . . . he looked just like . . . no, that was crazy. Either that, or just a really odd coincidence. Okay, maybe he did bare a serious resemblance to Syaoran, but that probably didn't mean anything. _'Now that it comes down to it . . .' _Sakura realized, _'I . . .I've never really seen what Kirika _looks _like . . .'_

That thought struck her painfully, and confusion, anger, sadness, happiness . . . they all rose in her chest. _'Something weird is going on.'_

_***_

Kero flipped the tattered edges of the ancient book, the same one as before. The pudding cup sat untouched next to him, one of the corners of the lid peeling. A small bead of sweat ran down his forehead.

Suddenly, his gaze fell across something. His eyes grew wide.

"Oh, Kami-sama . . ." he breathed in disbelief.

**A/N: Dum dum dummm! C'mon! Did you really think this would be an S+S story devoid of ALL cliffhangers? ^_^; Please, R+R!**


	5. Death

**A/N: WA-HOO! Chapter Four! C'mon, people—let's see if Momiji-chan can get her review count into double digits! ^_~ Please R+R! (Seriously. I'm desperate . . .)**

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Four

"SAAAA—KUUURAAA-CHAN!"

Sakura started at the loud, obnoxious voice screaming her name. Instantly, without even turning around, she knew who it was. Kero skidded to a halt and perched upon her shoulder. She was surprised, to say the least. Here she was, half-way home, in broad daylight, with her guardian angel. "Kero!" She hissed. "Not _too inconspicuous, are we?!"_

"It couldn't wait, I'm too anxious," he was breathing heavily. Obviously, he had flown at top speed just to meet her. "I was flipping through the book today. And I . . . it turns out . . ."

"What?" Sakura held her breath in anticipation.

"Kirika was a descendant of Clow Reed! She was the heir to his magical dynasty, although their powers weren't parallel. Apparently, Clow Reed surpassed her greatly. Kirika was his only daughter."

Sakura's hazel eyes widened as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard. Kirika? She was . . . wait a minute, then that meant . . .

"Kero!" She exclaimed. "She's related to both Eriol-kun and Syaoran-kun!"

***

_'There's no denying it, cousin. That really was an odd dream! Wonder what it means? Dunno, but I told Auntie Yelan to check it up and do all that research crap—I'm too lazy! Tee-hee! :-) I'll have to get back to you on that. Anyway, are you still head over heels for that weird girl in your class? Hmph. The lucky bastard! I'll write ya back as soon as Aunt Yelan discovers something. Ja ne, Syaoran-baka,_

_~Meiling_

Syaoran leaned back in his desk chair and shook his head. Meiling was the same as always. He had to wish that Meiling wouldn't torture his poor mother further. Suddenly, the phone beside him jangled, and he jumped a bit. _Aw, man! I totally forgot! Sakura-chan won't be happy . . . _At the thought of her name, he felt his cheeks flush madly, and he covered them, as in embarrassment, even though he was the only person in the room. It was then he realized that the phone was still ringing, and swiftly scooped it up. 

"Moshi moshi." 

"Konnichi'wa, Syaoran-kun?"

"Oh, hey, Sakura-chan."

"Are you coming over? We really have to get started on that project."

"Yeah. Want me to bring anything?"

"Nah, I've got everything here."

"Okay, see you in a few."

"Ja ne!" Sakura chirped, and hung up on the other end.

Syaoran replaced the receiver and got to his feet. He yanked his coat from the closet, pulled on his shoes, and was out the door.

***

Her breath came out in ragged gasps, sweat emanating from every pore throughout her frail body. Kirika knew she was in the middle of one of her odd coughing fits, but this one seemed particularly bad. No, not bad—horrible was more suitable.

She needed a glass of water desperately. Her throat felt as though it was ripping apart at the seams, yet because no one was around and she was way too weak to even lift a finger, she was stuck, dehydrated, ill, and alone.

_'Am I . . . am I dying? Is it finally happening?' _Kirika had toyed with the thought with so long. She was now waltzing in the shadow of death, and she couldn't help but begin to feel hysteria come on. Waltzing, indeed. You can't do a waltz without a partner . . . and here she was, by herself. 

_'Isao . . .' _She thought. _'Oh, please, God . . . don't let me die alone!'_

***

"So . . . this is supposed to fit?" Syaoran furrowed his brow as he tried to jam some kind of sphere that was three inches too wide in circumference into a hollow cylinder that was three inches too thin. 

"That's what the direction sheets say," Sakura replied, squinting at the assigned sheet. It supposedly would guide them in building a certain type of molecule model, but the directions were so muddled she couldn't make heads of tails of them.

"Yeah . . ." Syaoran drifted off, his eyes wandering. _'Oh, God . . . what is it with girls and short pants? I mean . . . come on, how are we men supposed to concentrate?' His gaze strayed to Sakura's lightly tanned calf, and up . . . up . . . up . . ._

**Whack!**

"ITAI!"

"Kero-chan, why'd you do that?!"

Kero dropped the phone book (which was roughly ten times his weight) that he had used as a weapon . . . which he had used to assault Syaoran. "Just what the hell do you think you're staring at, kid?" Kero scoffed. "At least try to be more inconspicuous! Jesus."

Sakura scowled. "Kero-chan, Syaoran-kun wasn't ogling anything!"

Syaoran sweatdropped. "Uh, maybe I was . . . just a little . . ." He turned beet red, scolding himself for not being able to shake old habits. "You can't blame me!"

"AND WHY NOT?!" Kero got up in Syaoran's face.

"BRING IT ON, YOU BEANIE BABY REJECT!" Syaoran retorted nastily.

"Oh, that is _it . . ._"

"You two! Act your age," Sakura admonished. Kero folded his arms while Syaoran reluctantly stepped back. "If I give you pudding, will you please leave us be? This project is due in only a few days, and Fujiyama-sensei will whip us good if we do a sloppy job."

"Well, if it's for pudding . . ." Kero flew towards the door, and stopped once more. "Just remember, Li-baka, hands _off." He vanished into the darkened corridor._

Sakura shook her head. "Gomen for all the trouble he was causing, Syaoran-kun."

"Don't mention it."

The two lapsed into silence for awhile, trying to figure out their baffling science assignment. Neither were getting very far, when Sakura suddenly blurt out, "So, are you seeing anyone?"

Syaoran started in his chair, eyes wide. "Well, ano . . . iie, not at the moment."

  
Sakura couldn't help but breathe a great gulp of air. It felt stale, as though it was sticking to the interior of her lungs. She decided to change the subject, and fast. "I've been having weird dreams lately."

"Honto ni?" 

"Hai . . ."

A bit concerned now at Sakura's suddenly solemn attitude, Syaoran turned to face her in his chair, and gazed at her intently. Sakura quickly launched into her story, giving detailed descriptions of Kirika and Isao, and of Kirika's unnamed illness, and of the fated love the two had once held.

Syaoran was quiet for a bit after Sakura finished. Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her auburn hair. She glanced down, and saw that Syaoran's hand was now over-lapping hers. She simply smiled, and made no move to disturb his unprecedented act of kindness. "To tell you the truth, I've been having similar dreams . . . it's so odd . . . matte, you say you still don't know what Kirika looks like?" Syaoran asked.

"You're serious?" Sakura's jaw dropped open. 

"Dead serious."

"My God . . ." She shook her head in utter disbelief. "It's like one of those weird things you hear in the tabloids."

"Tell me about it."

"So, what _is _Kirika's physical appearance?"

"Hmn . . . lemme think now . . ." Syaoran rubbed his clean shaven chin thoughtfully, and Sakura waited anxiously for his response.

**A/N: Muwaha!**** I am so evil, ne? Gomen for that. I thank those who were kind enough to review from the bottom of my heart! ^_~ You guys are . . . um . . . really, really cool! ^_^;**

 


	6. Newcomer

**A/N: Nope, nothing to say except . . . please review! ^_^**

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Five

"I remember my first dream like it was yesterday . . ." Syaoran finally began to relay his story. "This man named Isao was running up to the balcony of -- I dunno, a castle, maybe? The weird part, though, was how it felt like I was actually _in his head. _I could feel his panic, and all of the thoughts coursing throughout his brain."

"Me too! Me too!" Sakura intervened, unable to control her outburst. "But it wasn't with Isao, just Kiriko. And she was actually on the balcony."

"It's Kirika, Sakura-chan."

"Oh, yeah." She then realized she was being rude and chuckled quickly to hide her bashfulness. "Go on."

"Anyway," Syaoran said, "when I—er, Isao arrived at his destination, there was a simply gorgeous lady standing with her back to him. She had glimmering auburn hair much like yours, Sakura-chan, and two bright emerald eyes that just seemed to stare through me . . ." Syaoran trailed off for a moment, and he blinked a few times. 

"Kirika," Sakura whispered. 

"If you think about it, you and her are nearly identical," he said. 

"Syaoran-kun, what's going on here?" Sakura looked to her friend, confused by everything that was whirling by her at such a rapid and stupefying speed.

Syaoran sighed and just tightened his death grip on her small hand, because he, too, had no idea.

***

Sakura's digital clock ticked over to 2:32 A.M. She should have drifted off into a semi-peaceful sleep by now, but alas, the Sandman was not in sight. 

So here she was, hunched beneath her covers, a small flashlight in hand, reading a cheesy romance novel. The book's dialogue was inane, and Sakura was only paying slight attention to it. She had more plausible things to ponder about . . . if plausible was the right word. _'I'm afraid of a dream that I may or may not have. You've hit a new low, Kinomoto.' She chided herself angrily, yet her persistent self-esteem bashing did little to help. _

She was too frightened to sleep.

_'What if Kirika dies in this dream? She's identical to me in almost every way. It'll be like experiencing my own death.'_

But she knew she couldn't stay awake forever.

_'That does it. I have school tomorrow.'_

Her hands found the Key of the Star, which was resting on her desk. She blew the bit of dust that had accumulated on top of it off and allowed it to morph into its staff form. 

Sakura clenched the pink handle decisively, and laid her head upon her pillow. She then opened the Sakura Book, and removed two all-too-familiar Sakura Cards.

"Sleep Card . . . please allow me to get a good night's rest . . ."

". . . and the Dream Card, please allow me to see tonight's dreams from a third-person's point of view."

Two life forms materialized from the seemingly normal cards, one a small iridescent fairy with ruffled hair, and the other a full-grown woman, helmet shielding her eyes from view. Both of them smiled at their Mistress.

"Sleep peacefully," the small pixie chirped, and waved her tiny crescent moon wand before Sakura's face. Just before the girl drifted off, the last thing she saw was the Dream Card spread her arms wide.

***

Sakura knew she should have expected this. She had totally forgotten that a person dreams constantly when they were in REM sleep. (God, she was stupid sometimes.) So now, she was witnessing dreams that she never would have remembered if not for the work of her magic cards.

She was soaring over mountains, over clouds. She went to school naked—much to her embarrassment—and, to her total surprise, she saw herself engaged to a man that looked awfully familiar. So familiar, in fact, that her cheeks grew warm. 

She was hovering above her own wedding with Syaoran.

"Sakura Li?" She liked the way that sounded.

Finally, just as she was about to give up hope of finding Isao and Kirika in her mess of thoughts and fantasies, she arrived in the alley between two dilapidated huts. As her feet touched the ground, she knew she was in the correct time period from the people passing by the small opening. Just to be sure, though, she tapped a woman who was peering around the edge of one of the tiny houses on the shoulder. 

"Sumimasen, can you please tell me what year this is?"

The woman didn't even make a move to respond, nor did she seem to hear her. 

_'Baka! It's no surprise she doesn't know I'm here. This is the Dream Card's doing,' _Sakura shook her head. 

**'Damn, there she is.' **

Those words reached Sakura's ears, yet the woman's mouth seemed to move. There was no one else close enough for Sakura to eavesdrop of his or her conversation. "I'm hearing what's her thoughts," she said aloud in a mixture of wonder and horror. Sakura followed the woman's gaze, and saw that a tall, slender, auburn-haired female was walking down the unpaved road, a few small children laughing and playing behind her. "Is that Kirika?" If she was, she fit Syaoran's description perfectly. With her shining locks and beautiful eyes, Kirika was the persona of royalty. _'But she isn't from a royal family.' Sakura reminded herself._

Kirika was clad in a form-fitting light green dress, with a small train trailing behind her. On top of that was a cloak with shoulder pads, emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, topazes, onyxes, and other gems encrusted along the lining. The children tugged happily at her cape, giggling.

Meanwhile, the other woman whose thoughts Sakura had accidentally overheard was in a peasant ensemble, consisting mostly of various fabrics sewn together. She raked her shoulder-length silver hair with a hand furiously.

**'Look at her, basking in the spotlight just because her father is rich and famous. Sir Yamamoto wouldn't give her a second glance if she wasn't . . . why can't he see through her goddamned facade?' **The woman sighed. **'It pisses me off.'**

 Sakura was reeling at the pure malice she detected in her tone. Sir Yamamoto was obviously Isao's surname, she knew from past dreams that his relationship with Kirika was the talk of the town. A peasant surely would not have a chance with a respected official such as he . . . why was she so stuck on Isao? 

Sakura suddenly felt a wave of fear sweep over her. This person standing before her—she found her name to be Jun on closer inspection—was plotting something horrible.

But what?

***

Sakura snapped awake, back in her darkened room. She heard Kero-chan snoozing happily in his closed drawer, but the rest of the night was silent. She shivered despite the warm temperature and her comforters. Not knowing what happened to Kirika, Isao, and Jun was starting to drive her crazy. She wanted to know . . . yet at the same time, she didn't.

She suddenly felt very alone and frightened; the fact that her onii-chan and her otou-san were right down the hall gave little in the ways of comfort. 

_'I wish Syaoran-kun was here,' _Sakura thought miserably.

She swung her legs around her bed, and landed awkwardly on the floor, her ankle twisting painfully. "Aw, DAMMIT!"

She quickly covered her mouth, and waited a few moments. Nothing stirred. She sighed, grateful that she had not woken any of her family up with her outburst.

She quietly changed out of her pink satin pajamas and into a pair of shapeless grey sweats. She needed some fresh air to clear her jumbled head.

She was halfway out the door, but then stopped. 

Sakura grabbed her Sakura Book, and left the Kinomoto Residence. Better safe than sorry.

***

She jogged down the streets of Tomoeda, her breath coming in ragged pants. She had no idea how far she had gone when she came to a dead halt.

The path was totally devoid of human life, yet she felt piercing eyes burn into her back. _'Is someone . . . there?' _She clenched her book, filled with her protective cards, and felt a slow sense of calm come over her. _'Chill. You're the Card Mistress. You've dealt with worse than a couple of thugs. I just hope they're not armed . . . arrgh, get a hold of yourself, baka! There's no one there . . . see?'_

Sakura pivoted on her left foot to prove to herself that there was, indeed, no one else present. Unfortunately for her, she had never been more wrong in her life.

"Hey," from an alley between a liquor store and convenience store came a swaggering bunch of drunken idiots—three of them, to be precise. The one who seemed to be the head honcho leaned against the wall with one hand, so close to Sakura that she could smell the beer on his breath. His blonde hair was shoulder-length and mused, and he had a limp cigarette hanging from his mouth. "What's a cute girl like yourself doing out at such a late hour?" His words were slurred, the alcohol's doing, no doubt.

"I was just taking a jog," Sakura retorted bravely. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going home."

The other two men stood, one to her right and the other behind her. The building was to her left, and there was no one sober to help her. The lead guy leered at her. "You ain't bad lookin'. Say, say, we'll give you three-hundred yen to come play with us." He grasped her wrist and pulled her forward.

"Get off of me, you bastard!" Sakura shrieked. 

"What's that thing around her neck?" One of the others asked. The blonde guy raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"I dunno. Hold her for me." 

She was grabbed on either side by the blonde man's followers. They pinned her arms back and tugged her by the hair so she was staring up at the stars. 

Meanwhile, he played with her Key of the Star curiously, turning it over and over again in his hands. "It's just some damned key. I doubt it's worth anythin'." He lifted his arm and caressed Sakura's cheek, much to her total disgust. "You, on the other hand . . ."

Seeing how close his hand was to her mouth, Sakura chomped down on it with all her might, drawing blood.

"Arrgh!" The man staggered back. "Why, you . . ." He held onto his freely bleeding wound. "You're gonna pay for that." He chuckled, and somehow, Sakura knew exactly what he meant.

_'Oh, God! Why didn't I summon a card when I could?' _She had been reluctant, sure. She'd never used a card to physically harm a **person before, so her hesitance to do so couldn't be blamed. _'Someone . . . onegai, help me! Syaoran-kun! Onii-chan! Anyone!'_**

***

Syaoran sipped his cup of coffee in his apartment's kitchen, his stomach twisting ferociously. That's what had woken him up in the first place, and now, sleep wouldn't come for him. Something was wrong, he could tell . . . but what?

_'. . .elp . . .aoran-kun! On . . . an! . . .one!'_

"What the hell was that!?" Syaoran stood up brusquely, startled by the plea he suddenly heard. "It was so familiar . . . Sakura-chan!"

Not even bothering to change out of his nightclothes, he bolted from the door, spilling his coffee in the process. His heart was thumping crazily in his chest, while he pounded through the night. . .

**A/N: I bet you knew I was going to leave it there, didn't you? Sorry! I'm so proud of myself . . . this is the longest chapter yet! n_n Oh, and I'm gonna list those who reviewed . . .**

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**Yesh! You guys are kick-ass! Thanks soooo much! ^_^ Until next time!**


	7. Savior

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Six

***

Syaoran sipped his cup of coffee in his apartment's kitchen, his stomach twisting ferociously. That's what had woken him up in the first place, and now, sleep wouldn't come for him. Something was wrong, he could tell . . . but what?

_'. . .elp . . .aoran-kun! On . . . an! . . .one!'_

"What the hell was that!?" Syaoran stood up brusquely, startled by the plea he suddenly heard. "It was so familiar . . . Sakura-chan!"

Not even bothering to change out of his nightclothes, he bolted from the door, spilling his coffee in the process. His heart was thumping crazily in his chest, while he pounded through the night. . .

She struggled gallantly, but to no avail. Not even when Yue had tested her had she been this frightened; she had been in a different state of mind then.

Sakura was in good shape, all that cheerleading and rollerblading did wonders in the long run. Yet against three dangerous and drunken—potentially armed—men, who were obviously no stranger to weight rooms and to gyms, she stood no chance. She gasped as one of her attackers threw her against the solid brick of the store adjourning the sidewalk, pain now running jaggedly up and down her left arm. 

"St—Stay away from me," Sakura threatened boldly, grasping her Key of the Star. "You'll be sorry if you come any closer."

"Is that so?" The leader chuckled, groping hands coming down at her. With a yell, she kicked the man in the groin with all her might. He squeaked, and fell to the ground, seething in agony, clenching the tender area. 

"Yeah, that's right," Sakura snapped. 

She leapt from the ground and began to sprint off in no discernible direction. Once she lost them, she'd find her way back home. 

"Hold it!" 

Footsteps behind her eluded that the two men that were able were in hot pursuit. _"Stay away!" _She shrieked. 

**"Key which holds the power of the stars, reveal thy true form before me by the contract, I, Sakura, command you . . ." ** Sakura's key detached itself from her neck, and the handle grew longer and longer and fell into Sakura's awaiting palm. **"RELEASE!" The staff was now perfectly visible, the two wings that sprouted from the sides gave a decisive flap, the star between them twirling twice. **

"What the hell did she get that pink stick from?" The thug with the raven hair, reminiscent of Tomoyo's, pondered aloud. Sakura had hoped they would stop and gawk at the sudden appearance at the wondrous staff, but her hopes were dashed when the two still pressed on towards her.

_'Wait a minute, Dash! That's it!' _The thought dawned on her—she could get away without truly revealing her magic.

**"Dash Card, let me get away from these disgusting bastards! DASH!"**

And with that, Sakura darted off from sight. She was so quick, in fact, that her actions were invisible to the human eye. Mr. Raven Hair and his comrade, finally, stopped and stared in utter disbelief.

Syaoran beat upon the Kinomoto's front door with all his might. The fact that he was making such a ruckus in the dead of night not even bothering him. "Dammit, Touya, open the stupid door!"

And suddenly, as if he had heard Syaoran's angered call, there was Kinomoto Touya standing before him. His hair was mused from sleep and his eyes blood-shot. He wore puffy crimson slippers and a long bathrobe of the same color. "What the hell . . ." Touya blinked once, then twice, trying to get a clear picture of the man at his front stoop. Eventually everything came into focus, and Touya's face went fire engine red in outrage. 

"Sakura . . ." Syaoran panted, having run the whole distance from his house to hers. "Where is . . . Sakura?"

"Dammit, you gaki, she's in bed! Who the hell do you think you are, waking me up like that?! I swear, I'm going to _kill you!" Touya was not joking._

"Can I go up to . . . talk to her?" 

"Hell no!" Touya's hands were reaching for Syaoran's tanned neck when they were startled by a loud crash from behind them. Both turned around to look instantly.

Sakura, in a frenzied stupor, had rammed directly into the trashcan outside her home. Now she was on her hands and knees, unable to catch her breath, the Dash's effect finally wearing off. She glanced up to see the two men she loved most in the world—father excluded—running towards her, shouting her name. A smile played upon her lips, but the night's past events all caught up to her, and she lost consciousness from fatigue, her arm aching with a passion.

"Sakura!" Syaoran reached her first. "Oh, God, what happened to you? Sakura!" He gathered her in his arms and got back to his feet, looking to Touya. "What are you waiting for? Go inside and get her bed ready!"

It was cue for Touya to grumble and shake his fist, but he was in no position to do so. Killing the gaki would come later. Sakura's onii-chan bustled inside, Syaoran on his heels. _'What happened? Why was she out this late?' _The questions were burning inside of him, but he would have to wait for the answers . . .

"Lady Kirika, you have a guest."

Kirika's chestnut head tilted painfully to the right, hoping against all hope that it would be Isao, her Isao, that walked through the door to her room . . . but alas, it was merely Jun, a good, childhood friend of hers. She was a bit disappointed, but it was nice to have company.

"Hello Jun," Kirika croaked.

"You poor thing," Jun fussed. "Are they taking good care of you? I've been so worried." Her chrome locks swished about as she fluffed Kirika's pillows. 

"Oh, I've been spoiled," Kirika smiled. "No need to fret. But thank you for the concern."

"I've known you for as long as I remember, of _course I have a perfectly good reason to check up on who's taking care of you," Jun put her hands on her hips._

"You're not interrogating all of the nurse maids, are you?" Kirika chuckled, but it came out dry sounding. She coughed, her entire frail body trembling with each hack.  

"Oh, dear."

"It's not bad," Kirika whispered, leaning down against her sheets. "A few days ago was the worst . . . I wasn't sure I was going to make it, but here I am. They say I'm on the mend. By the way," she changed the subject, "where is Isao—erm, Sir Yamamoto? Has he returned to the village yet?"

At this, Jun's expression soured. "Hai. He's making his way over here as we speak." She lifted her chin, eyes going stone cold. "I'm sure he's incredibly concerned." Jun's stomach twisted at the way Kirika's face seemed to flush, and at the ecstatic grin crawling across her once-pale face. 

"Is there something wrong, Jun?" Kirika asked, her voice stronger now.

"No. There's absolutely nothing the matter. I'm sorry, Kirika, but I have to be going. I'm going to be dropping by again as soon as possible, all right?" She lifted her hand in a small wave. "Say hi to Sir Yamamoto to me!" She hustled out the door, leaving a baffled Kirika in her wake.

_'I hope I haven't offended her . . .' _Kirika mused. 

Jun brushed by all the attendants rudely; apologizing in a mumble that only she herself could hear. Her head was lowered, and she didn't realize the man flying through the door.

They collided, and Jun reeled back. She would have fallen to the floor had the man not grabbed her by the wrist. "Gomen nasai . . ." She said quickly, glancing up.

Isao let go of her arm. "No, no, I'm sorry. It was my fault, Jun."

Jun's heart pounded in her ribcage at the sight of his amber hues and apologetic smile. "I-Iie, Sir Yamamoto. I-I have to . . . be going." She walked by him without shooting another peek back, wild emotions streaming through her in a rampant flow. She didn't know what would hurt worse—seeing that he watched her retreating back, or that he went on to see Kirika, totally dismissing the fact that Jun Sakurazawa had ever existed.

Somehow, she thought it was the latter.

She stomped outside, fists clenched as red-hot tears made salty tracks down her cheeks. 

_'I hate you, Kirika! Oh, God, I hate YOU!'  _What did Kirika have that she didn't? What did Isao see in her, but not in Jun? Sobs racked her bronze frame, as she slowly cursed the one who used to be her best friend, swearing her revenge. 

Sakura woke with a start, emerald hues flying open. She heard heavy breathing nearby that was not her own. As she sat up, she saw Syaoran sleeping peacefully in a rocking chair by her bed, nestled underneath a quilt. His mouth was open slightly, a bit of drool dribbling down his chin. Sakura smiled. _'He looks like a little boy in his sleep.' _She reached over and lovingly stroked Syaoran's cheek with her hand. She slowly stood, pulling off her covers. _'Were you here all night, Syaoran? Thank you . . . thank you . . .' According to her clock, it was a little after dawn. Ribbons of color streamed through her window, illuminating Sakura's small albeit cozy room._

She was quietly making her way out the door when a floorboard beneath her creaked, and she heard a sleepy moan from behind her. She pivoted on her foot to see Syaoran blearily open his eyes. "Syaoran? Are you up?" She asked.

Without responding, he leapt up, still wrapped in his blanket. "Sakura, are you well enough to be—WHOA!" He tried to take a step forward but tripped over the quilt. He took a spill and fell against Sakura.

"Watch it!" She caught him but couldn't support both of their weight and tumbled backwards, Syaoran lying on top of her in a very kinky position.

Of course, cue Touya. He burst into the room, gaping at the misleading scene unfolding before him.

_"YOU PERVERTED BASTARD! HANDS OFF OF MY SISTER!"_

Touya easily hauled Syaoran up by the back of his shirt. "I knew letting you stay in here to keep an eye on her was a mistake! When I'm done with you, you'll have to drink your entire dinner through a _straw!"_

"Touya! Put him down!" Sakura protested, wrapping her arms around her brother's waist and pulling backwards. "Get off, get off! This is all a mistake, baka!"

"I'm tired of you hanging around him, kaijuu!"

"Watch the names, onii-chan!" She snapped. Oh, if only she could use a card on him right about now . . .

"What in the world is going on in here?"

The voice of reason strode into Sakura's room, disguised as Fujitaka. Her father rubbed his eyes wearily. "Do you know what time it is? And on a weekend!"

Syaoran used the distraction to remove Touya's hands from the collar of his shirt. "I slipped. What did you think I was trying to do?"

Sakura popped up at Syaoran's side. "He's right. Get your mind out of the gutter." She rubbed her arm self-consciously, wincing a bit as her fingers grazed over where the flesh had hit brick the prior night.

"Daijoubu desu ka*?" Syaoran knitted his brow. 

"I'm fine," Sakura reassured. "It's not that bad." She then feigned a yawn. "Onii-chan, why don't you show Syaoran those awesome pancakes you can whip up? I'm starved, and I bet he is, too." Syaoran nodded, his stomach growling in affirmation.

Fujitaka grinned, eyes crinkling. "I'll make some tea."

Touya glared at Syaoran one more time before he and his dad left Sakura's room. When Sakura was sure they were out of an earshot, she turned to Syaoran, who was scratching his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that . . . that . . . you know. I'm a klutz sometimes."

Sakura just laughed. "No need to fret--" She stopped talking abruptly, realizing how familiar saying that felt. _'That's what Kirika said to Jun in my dream, wasn't it? "No need to fret. But thank you for the concern."'_

Syaoran saw how troubled Sakura looked so suddenly. "Is something the matter?" He crouched down a bit so he could be face-to-face with the petite chestnut-haired girl. 

"I-I . . ." Sakura stuttered. "It really, truly don't know, Syaoran." 

**A/N: Dun dun dunn! Another semi-cliffhanger! Frightening! By the way, I apologize for the long delay in getting this chapter out. My computer crashed! (AHH!) Luckily, I managed to save this file. It just took me awhile to finish. However, notice it is slightly longer. ^_^ Thanks so much to those who reviewed! I can't thank you guys enough. (Have I stressed that too much? ._.; ) Until next time!**

***Daijoubu desu ka—translates to "Are you alright?" in English**


	8. Important Author's Note Hiatus!

**Dear Readers and Reviewers—**

            I'm sorry for the long wait, but I don't know if I'll be continuing _Life Lost, Love Discovered _right away. I'm feeling as though my recent works have been soulless, and without soul, all literature would be bland and empty. My past chapters of this story are a prime example. I'm a bit disappointed in myself at the moment, so I guess I'm officially calling a hiatus. Maybe if I come up with an interesting idea, I'll come out with more installments. But I don't expect that to be happening for awhile.

            To all those of you that have reviewed my fics honestly and truly enjoyed reading, I thank you for your undying support.

            Now, don't take this as a good-bye or anything. ^_^ I'll still be reviewing madly (like usual), and I'm planning on a few different one-shots, whether it be for the Card Captor Sakura section or for something else. So until I find the motivation to write, _Life Lost, Love Discovered _will fall back into FF.N's ever expanding collection of discontinued fanfics.

            **With love,**

**            ~Momiji-chan Wa Baka (^_^) **


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